


Singing To You

by Fighting_for_Creativity



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Canon? what Canon, Fluff, M/M, POV Jack Harkness, Romantic Gestures, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:27:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28155318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fighting_for_Creativity/pseuds/Fighting_for_Creativity
Summary: Jack realized that Ianto was a romantic, wondering how he can return one of the many gestures.As it was, Ianto was constantly humming a song.One day Jack asked him about it, and becoming curious, looked it up.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	Singing To You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [somystark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somystark/gifts).



> Canon? What canon?!
> 
> Seriously, they are all just a big happy family, alive and as whole as possible.
> 
> Somy, thank you for finally poking me enough to do this. I was considering writing this since the first time I saw the youtube video done by piper to John Barrowman's version of A thousand years. (here the link: [ Jack and Ianto: A Thousand Years ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r2adGehK1g))
> 
> Many thanks to the fast beta read to [ itwasadarkandstormynight ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/itwasadarkandstormynight/pseuds/itwasadarkandstormynight)

Jack, despite his innumerable years and achievements, had only recently realized something vital about Ianto Jones. 

The reserved, immaculate man was without a fail a romantic at heart. How Jack had missed that before was unclear to him. Maybe it was because Ianto looked more like the typical office guy, or because he and Jack could do and talk about all sorts of things that were considered more masculine in human culture, unlike some of his other partners. Maybe it was because Jack wasn’t human himself- well, whatever the reason, Jack had missed it and was now seriously considering how to repay his lover for all those small and gentle gestures. 

Perfect coffee, his beloved coat taken extra care of, his team always fed with what they needed and liked, the hub- his home- always in as much order as possible. 

Jack was leafing through some of his papers when a low hum reached his ears. Ianto was humming a song. Something about that song nagged at Jack's thoughts. It sounded familiar enough that Jack started to hum along until Ianto reached the desk and placed Jack's coffee on it. 

"Ah."

"Ah? What ‘ah’, Ianto?" 

"Looks like you have been infected by that song as well," came the cheeky reply. 

But before Jack could go into their usual banter, saying something along the lines of how it must be transmitted and cured by physical touch, Ianto turned softer—vulnerable, really. "A thousand years. The song was Rhiannon's favorite when we'd still lived together. Even Lisa couldn't escape the song. I hold a lot of fond memories for that song." 

Jack didn't need Ianto to say that there was grief as well. For the moment the immortal packed the information away to mull over when he was alone and not while the weevil alarm was blaring.

\- 

Three days later, after another gruesome case which involved aliens, time travel, and one too many child sacrifice, Ianto was laying in Jack's arms, humming the song once more, probably unaware he was doing so. 

Other than Ianto's humming, it was silent, and Jack nearly didn't dare break it. "Doesn't it hurt?" he said, not wanting to hurt Ianto but risking it anyways.

Ianto, the wonderful brilliant man that he was, knew exactly what Jack meant. "Sometimes... but it's mostly soothing these days. If not for the memories, then for the lyrics, which give me hope." 

Jack hummed noncommittally. 

\- 

The next morning saw Ianto doing his customary run around Cardiff for work before the others came into the hub. Jack was too curious about the song by now and thus used the solitude to research the lyrics.

_~I have died everyday waiting for you_ ~ 

Jack choked and closed the laptop. The song hit too close to home. 

\- 

Later that week Jack braved the song again, after catching Ianto humming it a couple more times. And with every verse, he remembered the situations Ianto hummed the song. The realization hit him. _"...lyrics that give me hope,"_ Ianto had said, and Jack knew which those were. Naively he had thought that Ianto meant hope for the man himself but... 

But it was hope that Jack- if he hadn’t already- would one day find someone worth waiting all his life for and then cherish every second of his time with them. The momentum of such a selfless love made it impossible for Jack to think for quite some time. ' _How had I become so lucky to hold your heart in my hands, Ianto Jones?_ '

Their Christmas get-together was soft and warm and cozy and all those things Jack had always thought he'd never get. Toshiko and Owen deep in discussions of science with Martha, Rhys and Gwen talking animatedly with Rihanna and her husband, Andy standing in between but still seemingly enjoying himself, and Ianto was in the middle of them all, deftly weaving through them and supplying them with fresh beverages and foods without anyone really noticing.

Their gift exchange had been over already, or so most of them believed, as Jack had told Ianto he'd get his gift from Jack later, everyone assuming it would be in private. 

Usually, Jack would have gone for that.

Usually, the immortal would not display his care or his love so openly.

But nothing was usual about his mortal love and thus this situation wasn't either.

Raising his glass, Jack tipped his fork against it, catching everyone's attention. He didn't bask in it like he usually would. The only attention he cared for at the moment was that of his grey-eyed man. 

"I said I'd give you your present later, Ianto. Well... I believe it's later now."

Jack couldn't help the small smirk and lecherous wink accompanying those words before he manipulated his time-vortex manipulator and a melody started to play.

By the widening of Rhiannon's and Ianto's eyes, the siblings recognized the song.

_~"Heartbeats fast_

_Colors and promises_

_How to be brave?_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall_

_But watching you stand alone?_

_All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more"~_

And by the way, Ianto looked at him, by the way, his breath caught when Jack closed the distance between them and took Ianto's hands in his, Ianto's trembling hands, Ianto understood what Jack would never be able to say.

_~"And all along I believed I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me_

_I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_I'll love you for a thousand more"~_

‘ _And I have, Ianto Jones. I have found you._ ’

-

From then on even a thousand years and another and another in the future, Jack would always remember Ianto's smell, Ianto's heartbeat against his own, Ianto's strength and Ianto's gentleness, the good and the bad and all that was and is Ianto Jones, humming that song under his breath.

  
' _I have died everyday waiting for you... But I know you will come back to me, you have before and you will again._ '


End file.
